Traverse motions for blamires lappers



Oct. 23, 1934. w. D. RUNDLETT TRAVERSE MOTIONS FOR BLAMIRES LAPPERSFiled April 8, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 23, 1934. w. D. RUNDLETTTRAVERSE MOTIONS FOR BLAMI-RES LAPPERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 8,1931 Qmm Patented Get. 23, 1934 PATENT OFFICE TRAVERSE MOTIONS FORBLAMIRES LAPPERS William 1). Rundlett, North Adams, Mass., as-

signor to The James Hunter Machine Company, North Adams, Mass., acorporation of Massachusetts Application April 8, 1931, Serial No.528,630

20 Claims.

The invention relates to machines for forming bats or laps consisting ofa plurality of layers of carded fiber such as wool or cotton, and moreparticularly to improvements in the mechanism for traversing andreversing the carriage carrying the apron on which the bat is folded orlapped.

A principal object is to produce laps of greater uniformity ofthickness; or as otherwise stated, to avoid appreciably thickening themargins or selvages in comparison with intermediate portions of the lap,as Well as avoiding unevenness in intermediate parts resulting fromnon-uniform movement of the carriage. This is accomplished by. providingnovel and improved driving or traversing mechanism for the carriage onwhich the bat is accumulated and folded or lapped, and especially,improved reversing means, which greatly decreases the time required forthe reversing action at each end of the carriage travel, and thusreduces to a practically negligible minimum the dwell of the carriageincident to reversal, and correspondingly reduces thickening of theselvages, which would result from the piling-up of the descending batwhile the carriage hesitated.

The improved driving and reversing mechanism, as briefly described, withreference to the physical embodiment disclosed, consists essentially inbelts arranged to run in opposite directions, a fast pulley locatedbetween two loose pulleys and connected to drive the bat-carriage, andmeans actuated by carriage movement toward each end of the stroke toshift the belts in such manner that the drive-reversal is accomplishedso quickly that the carriage-dwell is minimized, and practicallynegligible.

' Important additional features of the carriagedriving and reversingmechanism include the following: The loose-pulleys have heavy rims, orare otherwise so designed that they have very substantial fly-wheel ormomentum effect to facilitate reversal of the carriage travel. The beltsand pulleys have such relative face-dimensions that each belt while indriving position onthe fast pulley overlaps the adjacent margin of itsloose pulley and drives it at belt-speed. The loose pulleys are thusalways driven in opposite directions, and by their momentum-energy avoidany retardation of the shifting action, and on the contrary facilitateand expedite belt-shifting and carriage reversal in a mannersufliciently explained hereafter. The fast pulley treaddiameter is alsopreferably greater than that of the loose pulleys, tending to increasedriving traction and additionally facilitating shifting, as also laterexplained. The belt-shifting mechanism is operated by stops on astop-rail on the carriage; these stops are adjustable to vary itslocation, widthwise of the apron; preferably these stops are provided induplicate at either or both ends of the stop-rail to facilitateadjustment of carriage-stroke while in operation.

The fast pulley maybe connected in various ways to drive the carriage;the well-known driving connection consisting in a rack-likeinstrumentality may be used. Preferably, the drive is transmitted to thecarriage by the novel means here shown, comprising a sprocket-chainhaving its ends connected to the. carriage, and passing through astationary guide-structure, and a pinion (specifically a sprocket)associated with the guide-structure, in engagement with the chain andconnected to the fast pulley. This arrangement has great advantages overthe familiar in one form, showing only parts included in the inventionstructure or necessary to an understanding of it as incorporated in acomplete machine.

Fig. 2'is a perspective view, showing principally the drive-chain on theaccumulating-apron carriage, stationary guide-structure, and shaftconnecting the driving sprocket to the fast pulley.

Fig. 3 is a view, partly in front elevation, and partly in section inthe vertical plane of the pulley-shaft.

Fig. 4 is an elevation as viewed from the lef of Fig. 3, with partsomitted.

Fig. 5 is a partial top plan of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section in the plane 6, 6,

V Fig. 4.

In the well-known lapping or bat-forming machine of the present class,as best shown in Fig. l carded fiber is delivered by the final cardingcylinder, or doffer, of a carding machine or the like (not shown) suchas a Garnett, to a continuously-rnoving conveyor or apron 1, of whichonly the delivery-portion is illustrated, forming thereon a sheet orfleece 3 consisting of a single layer of the fiber. This fleece isdischarged between guiding or pressing rolls 5 and 7 (Figs. 1, 2, and

the rack, as frequently 3) to the upper surface of an accumulating orlapping apron 9 on a bat-carriage 11. The carriage is supported andguided by wheels 12, 13 running in tracks 14, 15 and reciprocates in thelengthwise direction of the fleece apron 1, while the lapapron is drivenduring carriage-movements in a horizontal direction perpendicular to themove ment of the fleece-apron.

The slatted accumulating apron 9 runs about an idler-roll 21 at one endof the carriage 11, supported in bearing 23 at ends of the carriageside-frame members 25, and also about a driving roll (not shown) fixedon shaft 26 (Fig. 2) near the other end of the carriage, adjacent thedrums 27 which support and rotate the roll 29 of lap as it is woundabout the core 31. Shaft 32 of core 31 is directed by vertical guides34, as usual. The driving mechanism for these drums, apron-drive pulleyand a pressing roll33, are not a part of the present invention, but maybe substantially as disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No.44:1,629 filed. April. 4, 1930, or of any other known. or suitablecharacter.

The fleece is thus laid in a zigzag course, in superposed layers-uponthe lap-apron:9, to form a lap 37 of. the required thickness, and isrolled up on: the core 31 as above referred to. The greatly-desired:uniformity of thickness of. the fieece-widthwiseof. the; lap-aprondepends principally upon the continuity and uniformity of movement. ofthe carriage. The continuity of. movement is: necessarily interrupted byreversal of the'carriage' at each endof its travel,and in these machinesas-heretofore constructed, reversal involves anundue'retardation.ordwell of the carriage,.with theresult that the continuously-movingfleece-apron deposits a relatively greater quantity of the fleece at themargins of the lap, and the lap-selvages are therefore thicker thanintermediate portions. Similar-1y,v undesired thickening of the lap atother points results from any pausein' the movement of the carriage.

To obviate these disadvantages practically or entirely, the inventionprovidesnovel and improved carriage-driving and reversing mechanismdesigned to effect quick or approximately instantaneous reversals,without appreciable re tard'a-t'ion before and after themoment ofreversal,

. so that carriage-lag and dwell are reduced to a minimum; hesitation orunevenness of movement of'the carriage is prevented, and laps ofexceptionall'y' uniform thickness are produced.

In accordance with the invention, the driving element directly carriedby or connected to the carriage (see Fig. 2') is a single-runsprocketchain 41 extending below the carriage in the direction ofcarriage-movement. The location of this chain laterally of the carriagemay vary, but when the lap-apron driving mechanism i3 is driven in themanner disclosed in the above-identified co-p'endi'ng' application, andas here sumciently indicated in Fig. 2', by one of the carriagewheels 13having teeth 45 positively engaging rack-notches in the correspondingtrack 15, the

chain is located as shown, close to the corresponding end of thecarriage; and nearly in line with the traction-wheel 13, thus avoidingany considerable tendency to twist or slue the carrlage in itshorizontal plane under the reaction force of the apron-driving means.The chain ends are connected to downwardly-extending brackets 4.7secured to the frame-members 25 (only one of these brackets being shown,in Fig. 2). To regulate properly the effective chain. length or tension,or to readjust its tension after wear, one of its end-links 49 isconnected to a threaded rod 51, passing through an eye 53 in the end ofbracket 47; a nut 55 on the rod bearing against the outer end of thebracket-eye positions the rod in relation to the bracket.

The chain is driven to and fro by a sprocket 57 secured on a shaft 59extending below the carriage, transversely with respect to the directionof carriage movement, and having its end adjacent the sprocket supportedin a bearing in a base or sprocket-stand 61 which is secured in a fixedposition, conveniently on the floor, at midlength of the carriagetravel. Desirably to permit adjustment of. the sprocket standtransversely in relation to the shaft-axis (in accordance with theposition or repositioning of the other end of the shaft, as will appear)this stand is connected to the upright flange 63 of an anglebar 65 bybolts 67 passing through selected ones of a series of similarly-spacedholes 69: in. the flange. The other flange of the bar is secured to thefloor by screws or bolts 71. The sprocketstand also supportsidler-sprockets 73, mounted on stub-shafts on stand 61 and located atopposite sides of the driving-sprocket 5'7, with their axessubstantially higher than the shaft-axis,.and the chain passes over theidlers and about and under the driving-sprocket; or in other words, aloop or bight '77 is maintained in the chain, encircling substantiallyone-half the circumference of the drive-sprocket, thus providing ampledriving engagement, with reduced wear of sprocketteeth and chain.

The lower, slack side of the bat-apron 9 (which 110 preferably is nottightly tensioned) tends to sag considerably below the carriage; and toprevent contact of this portion of the moving apron with chain 41, asupporting roll 79 is provided, extend.- ing below the carriage andabove andparallel. to the chain, and the slack stretch of the apron,runs over this roll which holds it up, well. clear of. the chain or itssprockets. The roll-shaft 81 is mounted in bearings 83 supported bybrackets 85 (only one of which is shown in Fig. 2) secured to the lowerflanges 87 of carriage frame-members 25 as by bolts 89 and clampingelements 91. co-operating with the bolts and frame-members.

Sprocket-shaft 59 is driven by belt and pulley mechanism (Figs. 1, and 3to 6) located alongside the carriage at the end remote from theaprondriving mechanism 43 and sprocket-standv 61. The pulley mechanismis arranged in or about a frame or pulley-stand 93 including a base 95.secured to the floor by bolts or screws 97, and stand- 130 ards 99, 101,the upper ends of which are connected by a cross-bar 103 secured insockets 105. The standards are connected to the base for adjustment inthe direction of belt-length (forvariation of belt-tension, as willappear, or for other purposes) by bolts 10? having their heads engagedin undercut flanges at opposite sides of slots 109 in the baseside-members and these slots have enlarged end-apertures 111 permittingeasy placement or removal of the bolts.

A main, or pulley-shaft 113 is mounted in bearings 115 secured tostandards 99 and 101-. Desiredly, as best shown in Fig. 6, theshaft-bearings are in the form of sleeves having annular enlargements117 of spherical contour, movably mounted 145 in sockets in thestandards. Each complete socket consists of part-spherical half-sockets119 and 121 formed respectively in one of the standards and in asocket-plate 123 secured thereto, as by bolts 125. This universal orball-and-socket 1'50 mounting of the shaft-bearings in the standardsenables the bearing-sleeves to align themselves automatically with theshaft-axis, and avoids cramping of the shaft which would otherwise becaused by inaccurate relative locations of the standards; or asotherwise expressed, dispenses with extreme care and accuracy inmanufacture and assemblyor adjustment of the base 95, standards 99 and101 and bearings.

A fast pulley 127 is secured on the shaft, between loose pulleys 129 and131, which are re' voluble on the shaft. The loose pulleys havefacewidths sufficient to provide for necessary shifting movement of thebelts, usually, as shown, considerably greater than the face-width ofthe fast pulley. The loose pulleys also preferably have rims 133 ofsubstantial cross-sectional area, or are otherwise designed to have veryconsiderable momentum or fly-wheel effect, for reasons later mentioned.The tread-diameter of the fast pulley 127 is also preferably moderately(but substantially) greater than that of the loosev pulleys, to insureample or relatively increased traction of the belts when in drivingposition thereon, as also referred tobelow.

The sprocket-shaft 59 (above mentioned) has its end remote from sprocket57 revolubly mounted in a sleeve bearing 135 supported by standard 101,and is driven by a gear 137 engaged by a pinion 139 fixed onpulley-shaft 113. Preferably as shown, the bearing sleeve 135 has amovable, or universal, ballandsocket mounting 141 in its standard,substantially similar to that explained in detail, with reference tobearing sleeves 115.

' The pulleys are driven by belts 143 and 1 15, of which the portionsco-operating with the pulleys run in opposite directions. Usually forthis purpose one of the belts is crossed, while the other is uncrossed,or open- The belts are driven by pulleys'on a counter-shaft (not shown)in any convenient location. Asillustrated in Figs. land 4 the beltshave, a horizontal run, being driven from a floor-stand counter-shaft.

The width of each belt is sufficient to provide I, thedesired area ofdriving engagement with the fast pulley and in addition, when in drivingposition, as shown with reference to belt 143 in Figs. 1, 3 and 6, tooverlap and engage a substantial marginal width of its correspondingloose pulley. In this way the loose pulleys are at all times driven atbelt speed, as their belts never completely leave them, and each onealways runs in the same direction, these directions being opposite, withreference to the two loose pulleys.

The belts are controlled and shifted by shifting-forks 147 and 149 onarms 151 carried by a shifting bar 153, one end of which is arranged toreciprocate ina sleeve or socket 155 on an .arm 157 extending from oneof the bearingsocket plates 123 above mentioned. The forkarms 151-extendrespectively upward and downward from their supporting bar 153, in orderthat each fork may cooperate with the slack stretch of its belt. Theshifter arms are connected to the bar 153, for both lateral andverticaladjustment thereon, by clamps 159 having flanges 161,

engaging above and below the bar to guide the clamps slidingly thereon,and bolts 163 passing above and below the bar through vertical slots 165in the arms.

The shifting bar is moved by a lever 167 having a hub 169 whichoscillates on a shaft 171 secured in a sleeve 173 on standard 101. Thelever end has a clevis 175 embracing the free end of bar 153 andpivotally connected to it by a pin 177. The slight swinging movement ofbar 153 due to the angular swing of the lever is permitted by fittingthe bar somewhat loosely in its guiding sleeve 155.

Lever hub 169 has a lateral sleeve or extension 179 which revolublysupports a cam-roll 181 having a periphery of spherical contour, tocooperate with a cam-track, or slot 183 in a camplate 185. This platereciprocates in guideways 187 at upper and lower edges of a guide-plate189, which is secured to standard 101, and has an opening 191accommodating the swinging movements of the hub-extension 179. The camslot 183 has horizontal dwell-portions 193 and 195 and an intermediate,angularly-directed portion'197 to effect belt-shifting.

The cam-plate 185 is moved to and fro by stops or dogs (later referredto) on a stop-rail or bar 203, at one end of the carriage, cooperatingwith a lug or abutment 205 on the plate. This abutment-piece has a notchor recess 207 accommodating the stop-rail 203. The ends of this rail aresecured in sockets 209 at the upper ends of threaded posts 211 which areclamped by nuts 213 in the ends of struts 215 secured to the carriageside frame-members and projecting beyond the adjacent end of thebat-apron.

At least one stop or dog is carried by rail 203 at each side of theabutment 205, and preferably there are, as shown, two adjustable dogs217 and 219 at each side of the abutment, to facilitate carriage-strokeadjustment, as will appear. The dogs are independently slidable alongthe rail,

and each is secured in adjusted position by a suitable clamping device,such as a set-screw 221. Another stop 223 may also be provided, inassociation with either or both pairs of adjustable stops. Thisadditional stop may be secured in a fixed position on rail 203, as by apin 225 passing through the stop and rail; this position corresponds tothe extreme desired or permissible travel of the carriage in onedirection, and the stop 223 thus prevents placing the next adjacentadjustable stop in a position corresponding to excessive travel of thecarriage in the corresponding direction. I

For manual shifting of the belts, cam-plate 185 has a handle 227, whichdesirably is, as shown, formed or arranged as a part or extenslcn of theabutment-lug 205. This handle permits manual shifting of the cam-plateand thus the belts to or from a neutral position, wherein neither beltis on the fixed pulley. The movable stop 217 nearest cam-lug 205, ateach side thereof, may be adjusted on stop-rail 203 for a relativelyshort carriage travel, (to produce a corresponding narrow width of bat)and the other movable stops may at the same time be adjusted for greatercarriage travel, to produce a wider bat. To increase the range ofcarriage movement, it is then only necessary to loosen the set-screws221 of the inwardly-located stops at the moment when the width of lapisdesired to be increased, and each stop will, in the next carriage strokein the corresponding direction, encounter the cam-lug 205 and be pushedback into contact with the other adjacent adjustable stop 219;whereafter the carriage will travel a distance oorrespon ding to thepositions of the stops last-mentioned (with allowance for the thicknessof the inwardly-lcated stops 217). This variation of carriage stroke maybe accomplished without stopping the machine, since the speed oftraverse of the carriage is moderate. In a similar way, carriagetravel;may easily and quickly be increased to the maximum (corresponding to thepositions of fixed stops 223) by loosening the set-screws of both pairsof adjustable stops 217 and 219, whereupon the latter will be pushedback outwardly against the fixed stops, and: the carriage will move adistance nearly equal to the width of the: bat-apron, to produce afull-width bat.

In operation, as the carriage nears the end of its: travel in eitherdirection. (as determined by stop-adjustment, as just explained), thecorresponding stop 217 encounters lug 205 of camplate: 185 and moves thelatter along with the carriage; the diagonal portion 197 of thecam-channel acts on cam-follower 181 to swing lever 167 and move theshifters 147, 149 in a direction to shift the belt which has beenrunning on the fast pulley 127 to its loose pulley while the other belt,which has been running on the other loose pulley, is moved to engagementabout the fast pulley, and the carriage-movement is reversed.

Thus, with the belts running about the pulleys in the directionsindicated by arrows in Fig. 1,

L the pulleys are turning in corresponding directions, and. the.carriage is moving toward the left, or inward in relation to the fleeceapron, as also indicated by an arrow. Belt 143 engaging about the fastpulley 127 is actively driving the carriage through shaft 113, pinion139, gear 137, shaft 59, sprocket 57' and chain 41 (see also Fig. 2) aportion of belt 143 overlaps the adjacent margin of the tread of loosepulley 129, which is driven at belt-speed and in the same direction.Belt 145 on the other loose pulley 131 (and free from the fast-pulley)is driving its loose pulley at full beltspeed, and in the oppositedirection from that in which the fast pulley 127 is now running, and inwhich loose pulley 131 always runs. When the stop 21 7 at the right-handend of rail 203 engages the lug 205, the cam-plate 185 is moved in thecorresponding direction (toward the left in Fig. 1); cam-portion 197engages roll 181 and oscillateslever 167', moving shifter-bar 153 to theright,' and fork 147" moves belt 143, or directs it to move toward thecenter of its loose pulley 129 and off of the fast pulley, while belt145 is urged toward engagement with the fast pulley. The loose pulleys,constantly driven at belt speed in opposite directions, and havingsubstantial mass, as above mentioned, have a very material kineticenergy or fly-wheel effect, and this is increased by the statedarrangement of driving connections to the. carriage, namely the speedreduction between pinion 139 and gear 137 and the small diameter ofsprocket 57; so that the pulleys run at relatively-high speed (incomparison with the rate of carriage travel). Belt 143 as it leaves thefast pulley is not subjected to any retardation which would be caused inordihary belt-drive arrangement by engaging and accelerating a loosepulley which had been stationary or running idly at low speed; on thecontrary, the loose pulley 129 running at full belt speed receives thebelt without the delay necessitated by having to be accelerated up tobeltspeed, thus quickly terminating the driving ac tion from this belt.At about the same moment, belt 145 is brought into engagement with theopposite margin of the fast pulley, and its loose pulley 131 acts (inaddition to the driving force.

applied to the belt by its primary driving pull'ey) as an inertia-motortending to drive the belt and prevent the belt from slowing down throughslipping on its primary pulley (which is not shown). Through theoverlapping belt, the heavy loose pulley 131 transfers part of itsmomentum to the fast pulley, with the result that the latter is quicklybrought to rest, restarted and accelerated to full speed in the oppositedirection, as belt 145 reaches its normal driving position on the fastpulley, still retaining marginal engagement with, and driving effectupon loose pulley 131.

The carriage-travel is thus reversed with minimized or negligible delay,avoiding deposit by the fleece-apron of any perceptibly increased amountof fleece at the selvage margins of the lap, as sufliciently referred toearly herein.

The tread-diameter of the fast-pulley, substantially greater than thatof the loose pulleys (as above mentioned) has an important function infacilitating and expediting belt-shifting. When a running belt is movedby a shifting fork from one pulley to another, this movement is noteffected principally by the direct lateral push of the shifter, but isdue to the spiral travel of the belt as it moves about the pulleys underthe primary urgency of the shifter. In the present arrangement, aseither belt is moved toward and encounters the fast pulley tread ofgreater diameter than that of the loose pulley, the increased tractionor frictional drag applied between the fast pulley and belt surfacestwists the belt in the proper direction in a horizontal plane, as wellas lifts the leading edge of the belt to utilize the well-known climbingtendency of running belts, and causes the belt to run quickly onto thepulley-face, until the full desired belt-widtharea is engaged with thepulley, as determined by the position of the'fork. at the end of theshifting movement.

Movement of the belts from 1311831551; pulley to a loose pulley is alsofacilitated by the fact that the latter isrunning at full belt speed inthe same direction as the belt, so that the belt is easily caused tofollow a. spiral course as it runs onto the loose pulley, when urgedlaterally by the shifter.

While I have illustrated and described certain forms in which theinvention may be. embodied, I am aware that many modifications may bemade therein by any person skilled in the art, without departing fromthe scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I donot wish to be limited to the particular forms shown, or to the detailsof construction thereof, but

What I do claim is.:'-

1. In a lap-forming machine, in combination, a reciprocating carriageand an accumulating apron thereon, a chain on the carriage extending inthe direction of carriage-travel, a sprocket-engaging the chain, andmeans for driving the sprocket in alternately-opposite directions totraverse the carriage to and fro.

2. In a lap-forming machine, in combination, a reciprocating carriageand an accumulating apron thereon, a chain on the carriage extending inthe. direction of carriage-travel, a drivingsprocket, means for drivingsuch sprocket, and means maintaining a bend in the chain in engagementwith the sprocket.

3. In a lap-forming machine, in combination, a reciprocating carriage, achain carried by the carriage, a sprocket engaging the chain, and meansfor driving the sprocket in alternately-opposite directions to traversethe carriage to and fro.

4. In a lap-forming machine, in combination, a reciprocating carriage, asingle-run chain having.

its ends secured to the carriage so that the chain moves bodilytherewith, and a driving-sprocket engaging with the chain and therebymoving the carriage to and fro.

5. In a lap-forming machine, in combination, a reciprocating carriageand a lap-apron thereon, a chain having its ends connected to supportingelements on the carriage, means for adjustably tensioning the chain, anda driving sprocket engaging the chain.

6. In a lap-forming machine, the combination with a reciprocatingcarriage and a lap-apron thereon, of a chain on the carriage, a sprocketmaintained in driving engagement with a straight run of the chain, andmeans for driving the sprocket.

7. In a lap-forming machine, in combination with a reciprocatingcarriage and a lap-apron thereon, a chain having its ends connected tosupporting elements on the carriage, means cooperating with one of saidsupporting elements for adjustably tensioning the chain, and a -lrivingsprocket engaging the chain.

8. In a lap-forming machine, in combination, a reciprocating carriage, achain carried by the carriage, a driving-sprocket engaging with thechain intermediate the length of a straight run of the latter, and meansmaintaining the sprocket and chain in driving engagement.

9. In a lap-forming machine, in combination, a reciprocating carriage, achain imparting reciprocating movement to the carriage, adrivingsprocket, and means forming a sprocket-engaging bend in the chainintermediate a straight run of the latter.

10. In a lap-forming machine, in combination, a reciprocating carriage,a chain imparting reciprocating movement to the carriage, adrivingsprocket engaging with the chain, the portions of the chainextending away from the sprocket being in substantial longitudinalalignment.

11. In a lap-forming machine, in combination, a reciprocating carriage,a chain imparting reciprocating movement to the carriage, adrivingsprocket around which the chain is bent in one direction, and amember at each side of the driving-sprocket around which the chain isbent reversely.

12. In a lap-forming machine, in combination, a reciprocating carriage,a chain imparting reciprocating movement to the carriage, adrivingsprocket engaging in a straight run of the chain, and meansmaintaining driving engagement between the chain and sprocket andcapable of being adjustably positioned in the direction ofcarriage-travel.

13. A lap-forming machine comprising a lapapron, a reciprocating aproncarriage, and carriage-driving mechanism including fast and loosepulleys, a belt, and carriage-operated belt-shifting means, the belt andpulleys having face-widths and arrangement such that when on the fastpulley the belt always overlaps and engages an adjacent loose pulleyfacilitating shift onto the loose pulley to expedite carriage reversal.

14. A lap-forming machine comprising a lapapron, a reciprocating aproncarriage, and car riage-driving mechanism including a shaft, loosepulleys and an intermediate fast pulley thereon,

a drivingconnection from the fast pulley to the carriage, driving belts,each constantly driving a loose pulley, and belt-shifting means operatedby the carriage, the fast pulley having a treaddiameter substantiallygreater than that of the loose pulleys.

15. A lap-forming machine comprising a lapapron, a reciprocating aproncarriage, and carriage-driving mechanism including a shaft, loosepulleys and an intermediate fast pulley thereon, a driving connectionfrom the fast pulley to the carriage, oppositely-running driving belts,and belt-shifting means operated by the carriage, the belts and pulleyshaving face-widths and arrangement such that each belt while on the fastpulley overlaps and engages its loose pulley keeping it constantlyrotating to expedite carriage reversal.

16. A lap-forming machine comprising a lapapron, a reciprocating aproncarriage, and carriage-driving mechanism including a shaft, loosepulleys and an intermediate fast pulley thereon, a driving connectionfrom the fast pulley to the carriage, oppositely-running driving belts,and belt-shifting means operated by the carriage, the fast pulley havinga tread-diameter substantially greater than that of the loose pulleys,the belts and pulleys having face-widths and arrangement such that eachbelt while on the fast pulley overlaps and engages its loose pulleykeeping it constantly rotating to expedite carriage reversal.

17. A lap-forming machine comprising a reciprocating carriage, alap-apron thereon, belt-andpulley mechanism arranged and connected totraverse the carriage, a belt shifter controlling carriage reversal, areciprocating cam for moving the shifter, and stops travelling with thecarriage and reciprocating the cam.

18. A lap-forming machine comprising a reciprocating carriage, alap-apron thereon, belt-andpulley mechanism arranged and connected totraverse the carriage, a belt shifter controlling carriage reversal, aswinging arm connected to move the shifter, a reciprocating plate havinga cam-channel for operating the arm, and carriageoperated stops formoving the cam-plate to-andfro.

19. A lap-forming machine comprising a reciprocating carriage, alap-apron thereon, a pulley stand alongside the carriage includingstandards, a shaft journalled in the standards, fast and loose pulleyson the shaft, a driving connection from said shaft to the carriage,oppositely-running driving belts, a belt-shifter and a reciprocating camon the stand for operating the shifter, a stop-rail on the carriage, andadjustable stops on the rail cooperating with the cam.

20. In a lap-forming machine, in combination, a reciprocating carriageand an accumulating apron thereon, a chain on the carriage, beneath theapron and extending in the direction of carriage travel, a sprocketengaging the chain, means for driving the sprocket inalternately-opposite directions to traverse the carriage to and fro, andmeans on the carriage supporting the slack stretch of the apron so as toavoid contact with the chain and sprocket.

WILLIAM D. RUNDLETT.

